Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Charlotte Barkowski letters

Abstract

The Charlotte Barkowski letters (dated 1944-1945; 0.27 cubic feet; 3 folders) comprises letters from Charlotte Barkowski, a young woman from St Louis, Missouri to her husband Stanley Barkowski, during World War II.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Charlotte Barkowski letters
Date
1944-1945 (inclusive)
Creator
Barkowski, Charlotte Linowski
Extent
0.27 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Love-letters
Letters.
Marriage -- United States
World War, 1939-1945.
War and society
Gossip.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged chronologically. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
Finding Aid Author
Hanna Rumbarger
Preferred Citation
2009ms132.0834: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Charlotte Barkowski letters, 1944-1945, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Charlotte Barkowski née Linowski (1921-2001) was the daughter of Stanley Linowski and Mary Szczesniak. Charlotte married Stanley Barkowski (1921-1991) in 1945, and the couple lived in St Louis, Missouri. The couple had one daughter together, Mary Ann Barkowski Czaykowski. No other biographical information available.
American Letters collector Wade Hall (1934-2015) was a native of Union Springs, Alabama. Starting in 1962, he lived in Louisville, where he taught English and chaired the English and Humanities/Arts programs at Kentucky Southern College and Bellarmine University. He also taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Florida. He held degrees from Troy State University (B.S.), the University of Alabama (M.A.), and the University of Illinois (Ph.D.). He served for two years in the U.S. Army in the mid-fifties. Dr. Hall was the author of books, monographs, articles, plays, and reviews relating to Kentucky, Alabama, and Southern history and literature. His most recent books include A Visit with Harlan Hubbard; High Upon a Hill: A History of Bellarmine College; A Song in Native Pastures: Randy Atcher's Life in Country Music; and Waters of Life from Conecuh Ridge.
Scope and Content
The Charlotte Barkowski letters (dated 1944-1945; 0.27 cubic feet; 3 folders) comprises letters from Charlotte Barkowski, a young woman from St Louis, Missouri to her husband Stanley Barkowski, during World War II. Charlotte writes to Stanley when he was a Private in the United States Army, and stationed in San Francisco, California during the end of World War II. The letters from Charlotte are primarily about how much she loves him, misses him and her wishes for him to come home back to St Louis. She writes to him about her days at work, time with spent friends and family, and plans for the couple's future. She also sends him different candies, cookies and presents while he is away. Charlotte enjoys declaring her love for Stanley, and writes multiple letters just on that subject. Her letters briefly mention the war, mainly the effects of food rations and gossip surrounding what year the war will end.
The Charlotte Barkowski letters collection is part of the Wade Hall Collection of American letters, which includes correspondence and diaries from all over North America covering the time period of the Civil to Korean Wars. The materials were collected by Wade Hall and document everyday men and women.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Use Restrictions
The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.

Contents of the Collection

Charlotte Barkowski to Stanley Barkowski, 1944

  • Box WH-91, folder 3
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Charlotte Barkowski to Stanley Barkowski, 1945

  • Box WH-91, folder 4-5
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UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.

Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.

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You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.